Nika recoiled violently from the strangers touch, wheeling around to face him with her egg case clutched tightly to her chest and a cold look on her face. What did he want? She had once believed it was only people her own age who could be cruel, but experiences on her pokemon journey had taught her that adults held a capacity for cruelty that far out-stripped their counterparts from the younger generation.

When she heard what he had to say she relaxed slightly, perhaps he meant well and had simply caught her by surprise, but kept a tight hold on the egg case. Keeping it safe was her responsibility, and egg poachers weren't unheard of.

"Thank you," she responded warily. "I had to think quickly. I'm a bug-type specialist, but Larvesta are so rare I hadn't expected to encounter another one until my own was stronger. Against fire types my Larvesta is my only real defense, and when she fell short I had to improvise."